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Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Oh wow, how time flies! I can't believe it's been six weeks since I last blogged. I'm not sure how time got away from me, but it's been partly because I was housesitting while my parents were away and then I caught a really bad bout of the flu...above all, it's just a little difficult blogging regularly when you're away from your usual set-up. Anyhow, I do feel terrible about it and I promise to do better!

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks.

I have some beautiful lipsticks to show you today from Gerard Cosmetics. If you aren't familiar with Gerard Cosmetics, they're a popular American brand that's receiving a lot of airplay with beauty bloggers/Youtubers of late. The 1995 lipstick is probably the most popular shade in the range, as it was a collaboration between world-famous makeup artist/Youtube guru Jaclyn Hill, and the CEO of Gerard Cosmetics, Jennifer Gerard. 1995 is meant to resemble the neutral brick brown lips that the supermodels wore in..you guessed it, 1995!Keep reading after the jump!

I bought my first three lipsticks (Nude, 1995 and Fire Engine), together with the Cocoa Bean lipgloss (which I'll review in a separate post), a few months ago. I liked them so much, I decided to pick up two additional shades, Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive, when they released new shades a little while ago.

L-R: Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks in Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive.

First up, let's talk packaging. The gold lipstick bullets are sleek, elegant and oh-so-classy. It's also a shade that is easy to find in your handbag, as it really stands out. Most importantly, the lids click on quite securely so there's never any chance of it accidentally coming apart in your bag. The only (slight) drawback to this beautiful packaging is that the highly metallic nature picks up fingerprints easily, and also, reflects everything, which makes it a little difficult to photograph without the photographer inadvertently appearing in the frame. Needless to say, though, I can live with these little niggling details because they're just so beautiful!

In terms of texture, I found the first three lipsticks, Nude, 1995 and Fire Engine, to be more on the matte side, and a little drying on the lips as compared to Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive, which are more creamy in texture. A reader asked me to compare these lipsticks to other brands, so the best comparison I can come up with is that Nude, 1995 and Fire Engine apply like the matte lipsticks from MAC, while Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive apply like the MAC Amplified lipsticks.

The matte lipsticks aren't in any way uncomfortable to wear, though, and they don't dry out my lips. I just make sure my lips are prepped well before I apply them. The lasting power is pretty good too, as I can get about 5-6 hours out of these without needing to touch up, even with eating and drinking. Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive are more comfortable to wear, but they do wear off slightly sooner due to the creamy texture. They still leave a slight stain behind, though, so I find that the colour lasts better with reapplication than it does with the first application.

If you're wondering if Rodeo Drive and Berry Smoothie are similar, the answer is yes, but Berry Smoothie pulls a little warmer and deeper than Rodeo Drive does. Both are incredibly flattering shades which I think would look beautiful on a variety on skintones. I've included some swatches below, which should give you some indication as to how well pigmented all these shades are!

Last but not least, I'll just mention that the lipsticks have a slight floral scent which I find quite pleasant. Rodeo Drive and Berry Smoothie also have a slight citrussy tone that my other three lipsticks don't have. I find the scent very pleasing and not at all overpowering, but it's something to keep in mind if you're quite sensitive to scents. It's definitely not discernable once the lipstick is on your lips.

Each lipstick retails for $19USD and is only available for purchase from their website, Gerard Cosmetics, or from their partner website, Whitening Lightning. However, they often have flash sales on cosmetic bundles which often include free worldwide shipping, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on their Facebook page or Instagram feed for some significant discounts! Shipping is also really quick, I received both my orders a week after they were dispatched!

I hope you liked the review, lovelies! Do you love the look of these lipsticks as much as I do? Which shade is your favourite?

I have Nude and 1995, and I love both colors! Sadly not much of its formula though, I find them very drying, worn for two hours max on me then it just fully fades into the lip lines and arghh overall it looks bumpy and not smooth :/ I have heard so many amazing things about this brand, just sad it didn't work for me.

Oh dear, Kay, how awful! Do you prep well before you apply? I usually a bit of lip balm, do the rest of my makeup, blot the balm off and then apply my lipstick. It works a treat! It's a shame if it didn't work for you.

I heard a lot of the brand since their collaboration with Jaclyn Hill and I have to say that they did an amazing job on these! the pigmentation is beautiful and the packaging so precious!! I will definitely keep an eye out for these flash sales you were talking about, this girl needs 1995 in her life! ;)

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Would you say it's enough to own either Berrie Smoothie or Rodeo Drive? :) I purchased Rodeo Drive today, but I've been wanting Berrie Smoothie since it was released. Considering the swatches I could find online I'm not so sure anymore that I actually need both.

The Made Up Maiden is a Melbourne based beauty blog written by Nalini, a young professional with a great love for all beauty products (but is especially fixated on makeup, nail polish and fragrances).
Working in a male dominated industry by day, she moonlights as a beauty blogger by night, and is always on the lookout for new products to fall in love with! She loves exercising her creative side by showcasing various makeup and nail art looks on the blog.